Sorry, but apparently a mid-level country like Thailand is only allowed to have one story at a time dominating the media, especially here in the US. That's the way the news cycle works. I've seen only two articles from major US papers about this accident, and nothing on the networks. (To be fair I don't watch everything; I could have missed them). When I google it, things like The Straits Times come up first. Much as I care about the boys in the cave (and I care a lot), I do feel bad for the drowned Chinese tourists too. And so many of them! Far more than the number of cave boys. Under other circumstances this would be a major worldwide story--but the boys got in first. And let's face it: boats in Asia capsize all the time. If this was 42 drowned on a Sri Lankan or Filipino ferryboat it probably wouldn't have made the news at all. And let's face this too: they're Chinese. It's not like they're American tourists! Or even Australian or European. You know....white. Dozens of African refugees drown all the time in the Mediterranean and not too many people pay much attention. I know I'm too cynical, and the soccer team do make for a more remarkable and compelling story and I'm as concerned about them as anyone (well, anyone 10,000 miles away who doesn't know any of them). But the Chinese tourists do deserve some attention too. And as a P.S., I wonder if anybody else might have survived if all the Thai rescue divers weren't otherwise engaged.

I think the among reasons this incident is only a short step above being ignored are because the cave rescue was already very big dominating news, the fact that the cave rescue involves trying to rescue children - whose faces and stories we see, and that boats capsizing, sinking, and killing people is not exactly uncommon in Asia.

When I first saw the news about the boat incident, while I was upset by it I also couldn't help thinking, "What, again?"

Weather obviously played a major part in this disaster, but overloading, lack of proper life jackets, lack of a short briefing on their use and incompetence on the part of the captains/boat owners all seem to have contributed to these disasters. Add to that mix incompetence on the part of the authorities and lax oversight of boat operations. A potentially lethal combination with greed no doubt also playing a major part. It's all so tragic

The Navy Seals divers are based at the Satahip Naval Base. Even if they had not been deployed in Chiang Rai, unless there were some working on another project actually in Phuket, I doubt if there would have been any chance they could have arrived in Phuket in time. In my understanding most deaths in boats capsizing result from inability to swim or being unable to get out of the sinking vessel. Only if caught in an air pocket would anyone be likely to survive underwater. And in those boats, how long would the oxygen survive? Sadly I expect not long enough for trained rescuers.

fountainhall wrote:The Navy Seals divers are based at the Satahip Naval Base. Even if they had not been deployed in Chiang Rai, unless there were some working on another project actually in Phuket, I doubt if there would have been any chance they could have arrived in Phuket in time. In my understanding most deaths in boats capsizing result from inability to swim or being unable to get out of the sinking vessel. Only if caught in an air pocket would anyone be likely to survive underwater. And in those boats, how long would the oxygen survive? Sadly I expect not long enough for trained rescuers.

I'm sure you're right. The first story I read suggested there might have been survivors trapped in the submerged boat, but I thought it was unlikely. And unless the rescue divers were already on the scene it was probably hopeless.

fountainhall wrote:Weather obviously played a major part in this disaster, but overloading, lack of proper life jackets, lack of a short briefing on their use and incompetence on the part of the captains/boat owners all seem to have contributed to these disasters..

I don't mean to come across as callous and uncaring, but again - nothing new in Thailand. The only difference I see between this incident and many other prior incidents is the number of victims.

I don't know who operates these boats, what kind of training they received, their level of competence, or what it takes to be licensed in Thailand, but taking passengers into dangerous sea conditions and/or operating a boat in an unsafe manner is unconscionable.